Improvement in feeding mechanisms for cut-mail machines



B,F.R1cE. FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CUTNAIL MACHINES.

No. 190,251, Patented May1,1877`.

N. PETERS, PiOTIXLIIHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C:

. STATE-s:

PATENT @Feroe BENJAMIN RICE, OF EAST WEYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPRQVEMENTIN FEEDING MECHANISNIS FOR CUT-NAIL MACHINES'.v

Specification forming part of LettersPatent No. 190,261, dated MayA 1, 1877 application tiled Februaryl12, 1877.

, making part of this specilcation, inwhich- Figure 1 is aperspective view of the feed` ing mechanism of a cut-nail machineconstructed in accordancey with my, invention. Fig. 2 is a1 front elevation, and Fig. 3 aside elevation, ofthe saine. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line x w, of Fig. 3; Figs. l5, 6, and 7, detailsin section.

My present invention relates to improvementsin the feeding mechanism of cntnail machinesnow in use, aud more particularly to Letters Patent of the Uintenl i states4 Nos. 119,228 and 129,190, granted to John C. Gould, September 26 and-0ctober24,` :1871, In` saidv Patent No. 120,190 theinovable jaw for gripingthe Dipper-rod travels inadirection at a veryv slight angletheretoMalrnost ap,-l proaching aline parallel .with the ,direction of the feed, and thepressure exerted by this jaw on the nipper-'rod holds it against the opposite jaw when the nail-plate is to be advanced, and when the time arrivesfor thejaws-to Arelease their. hold on thelnpper. the movable jaw relaxes itshold to44 allow the plate to be turnedand delivered upon the stationary bed or cutter. l In my invention alinkconnects the lever of the movable jaw with an arm operated by the push-r0d,the said device being swung to one side when the feedtakes plae,by the push,-

' pin being brought into contactwithi themachine, which operation first causesuthle mov? able jaw to approach the yopposite jaw in a line at .right angles tov the directioufof jthe feed, by which means the nipper-rod isY more firmly grasped and held, afterwhich the pair of jaws are advanced and the` nai1-p]ate.reliably fed, as required, tand immediately on the removal of the end of the push-rod from the machinethe movable jaw. recedesl laterally from the opposite jaw in a direction at right angles thereto, `thus instantly releasing the nipper-rod to allow of its being turned, both jaws being next returned. byspringseto their original position.

The second portion of my invention relates to the manner of regulating and'changingthe size or shape ofthe points ofthe nails.

In the above-named Patent No. 119,228,

when the angle ot' thepoint is to be changed,`

To enable others skilled in the art to un y derstand and use my invention, Iwill proceed l to describe the manner in which I have carried' it out. j

In the said drawings, A represents the bar supporting thefeedingmechanism. This bar is intended to be secured at its inner end ato the stock in which turns the barrel and and its nose-piece. (Not shown.)

At the outer end of thebar A, and on opposite. sides ofthe same, are parallel strips 8 connected by rods c, which pass through circular openingslinthe bar,l the strips 8, with their rods c, constituting aframe, b, which is movedlaterally to and from the bar by turning thehead d of a screw-shaft, e, which passes entirely through both strips and the bar, the lateral movement of the framebeing for a purpose to be Ahereinafter described.

Theonter ends of the frame b project beyond the outer end of thebar and have pivoted thereto at f a pairof levers, B C, which are pei-votedr together at Z', at a point a short distance above the-point f.

The Apivot f vconsists of a transverse rod, h, provided with sockets at its oppositeends for the reception o f the ends .ottwo transverse screws, by which means the position ofthe levers 'may be adjusted laterally relative to the longitudinal center ofthe bar A, the direction of the screw G, to which the levers B C vided with jaws B C', made adjustable by means of screws k io and from each other, being clamped in place when adjusted by screws l passing through slots m. Also pivoted to the transverse rod L, and interposed and projecting down between the lower ends of the levers B C, is an arm, D, to which is secured one end of a spiral spring, fn, the other end of which is attached to a rcd,p, extending down from the under side of the bar A.

The lower end of the arm D is of the form of a ball, and ts into a spherical cavity formed in and by tbc union of two horizontal blocks, q r, and the lower end of the lever C of the jaw C is also of spherical form, and :tits into another cavity ot' corresponding forni in the blocks q r, this pair of blocks serving as a connecting-link, E, to operate the lever O and its jaw C in a manner and for a purpose now to be explained.

Passing through the front of the arm D is a screw, G, the point of which is smooth and of conical form, fitting into a socket, S, in a sleeve, H, sliding over the outer end of a push-rod I, the inner end of which passes through a guide, K, projecting down from the under side ofthe bar A.

A pin, 9, passes through the push-rod near its outer end, and between this pin and the inner end of the sleeve is interposed a washpr, t, and a short spiral spring, u, and through the connection of the parts described, when the feeder is in motion, or vibrated, the end oll the push-rod is intermittently brought into contactA with some portion of the machine, forcing the sleeve H against the point of the screw Gr with a steady pressure against the resistance of the spring u., by which means the arm D is made to move longitudinally in front, and the lower end of the lever U to be thrown out laterally, thus causing its jaw C to approach the jaw B in a direction at right angles thereto and gripe the nipperrod, which carries forward the plate (not shown) to the cutters, to be severed into nails.

rIhe lower end of the lever B, which carries the jaw B', having no lateral movement, (after adjustment,) is connected by a screw, t, to the lower end of the arm D, the latter being provided with a slot or recess, 7', Fig. 6, so that the arm may first move out in front K independently of the jaw B to impart the re quired lateral movement to the jaw C', after which the movement of the arm D is imparted to the jaw B to carry it forward in common with thejaw C.

Immediately after the push-rod has vibrated the arm D to the front, and the jaw C simultaneously moved laterally toward the opposite jaw B to gripe the nipper-rod between them, the twojaws B C are advanced, carrying forward the nipper-rod and delivering the nail plate on the stationary bed squarely against the gage (not shown,) to be cut up as desired.

After a nail has been cut the retraction of the spring n carries the arm D back into its normal position and through the connections described, the jaw C moves squarely away from and releases its gripe on the nipper-rod, and the jaws then return, ready to take a new hold thereon, which is effected in the same manner as previously described.

J is 'a spiral spring for returning the jaw B to its normal position. L is a bridge-piece secured to and spanning over the frame b, and is provided with a yoke, w, which serves as a rest or support for the outer end of the nipper-rod.

The lateral adjustment of the jaws with the frame b, in which they are pivoted, as well as the lateral movement of the supporting-yoke w, is for the purpose of changing theangle of inclination of the nipper-rod, and consequently that of the nail-plate, to the cutters, when a change is required in the shape of the points of the nails; and this adjustment is effected with extreme facility without stopping the machine by simply turning the regulating screw-shaft e.

From the foregoing it will be seen that,as the jaw C moves in a direction at right angles to the jaw B', it comes squarely into contact with the nipper-rod, and its action is reliable both in taking and keeping a firm hold of the rod when the feed is taking place, and prompt in releasing its hold thereof, and without clinging thereto when the rod is to be rotated to turn the plate, the consequence of which is the work is invariably performed in a perfectly satisfactory manner.

If desired, the lilik connecting the lever U with the arm D may be of the form shown in Fig. 7, the lower end of the lever and arm being provided with spherical sockets for the reception of the spherical ends of the link, and connected by a spiral spring, so as to bring back the parts to their original position.

It is evident that the jaw B may be moved laterally instead of the jaw C to gripe the nipper-rod by simply connecting the lower end of the lever B with the arm D instead of the lower end of the lever C, as shown, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The lever C and arm D, connected by the link E, in combination with the lever B, push-rod I, and springsn J, constructed to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The levers B G, hung in a frame, b, in combination with the bar A and screw-shaft e, substantially as and for the purpose dcscribed. j

Witness my hand this 3d day of February, 1877.

BENJAMIN F. RICE. In presence of- N. W. STEARNS, W. Ji. @mame-E. 

